Numerous arrangements have been previously proposed to display articles in a commercial establishment. The following U.S. patents illustrate a number of display devices: U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,242,872; 2,627,682; 3,804,238; 3,888,349; 3,910,412; 4,378,884; 4,618,031; and, 4,815,610. Prior known display devices have been unable to satisfactorily display bulk commodities such as moulding and the like.
The display of moulding and other bulk commodities for sale presents a number of unique problems to the business proprietor not previously appreciated or resolved by known display devices. Specifically, it is often difficult for a consumer to locate the particular moulding or other bulk commodity he or she desires without the assistance of a sales person. This is a significant concern of many proprietors because of the recent trend toward self-service stores. In such establishments, it is necessary for a consumer to be able to readily locate the article he is seeking by himself. Unless the display device is such that will permit the consumer to readily locate the item, the consumer will most likely leave the store disgruntled and without making a purchase. Of course, this is detrimental to the operation of a successful business.
The difficulty in locating bulk commodities such as moulding and the like is attributable in part to the fact that such commodities are displayed over large areas in commercial establishments. In the case of moulding, it is necessary to allocate a large area for the display thereof because moulding is sold in rather lengthy strips and a number of different groups of mouldings are normally offered for sale to the consumer. Among the groups of mouldings commonly sold are chair rail moulding, base moulding, window moulding, door moulding, corner moulding, ceiling moulding and specialty moulding. Further hampering the consumer in locating the particular moulding he desires, is the fact that different groups of mouldings are not readily differentiable. A number of previously known display devices are designed to assist a customer in locating easily differentiable articles which are displayed in a rather small area of a storeroom and, therefore, are not acceptable for displaying moulding.
Another problem associated with the sale of moulding and similar commodities is that such commodities are sold unpackaged. Further, it is often undesirable to mark the article itself. A substantial number of prior display devices require that either the article or the package containing the article be marked in some fashion to assist the consumer in locating the same. Accordingly, these display devices are unable to accommodate moulding or related articles.